When it comes to neon colors, there’s a very fine line between tasteful and tacky. This season, we are faced with the deep dilemma of wanting to incorporate bright colors into our summer wardrobes, yet fearing the revival of an overtop 80s look. Luckily, for those of us who don’t feel ready to conquer the neon world, there’s a way for us to familiarize ourselves with these colors slowly by adding them to our beauty collections. Adding a bit of neon makeup here and there can be much more affordable than diving into the fashion trend and it’s a great way to experiment with the colors that highlight your best features. Take a look at how you can embrace this trend, the elegant way.

Eyeliner

Applying neon-colored eyeliner is a great way to spice up a daytime look. The trick to keeping bright colored eyeliner looking tasteful is by keeping the line really thin above your top lash line and beneath your bottom lash line, without extending it too far out into the corners. We’re jonesing for a thin neon green pencil this season, something in between lime and forest green. Check out Urban Decay’s bright green 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Graffiti ($18) for inspiration, it’s a creamy, bright green shade with a hint of silver shimmer than glides on smoothly and makes eyes pop.

Lipstick

The easiest way to hop onboard the neon-colored train is by wearing a bright lipstick. Unlike colors for your eyes, various shades of bold lipsticks are almost always in style, whether it’s a red for the fall or a fuchsia for the spring. This summer, we recommend trying out neon orange for your lips, which tends to be a universally flattering color. We really love the way Scarlett Johansson rocked the color (above, right), matching it to her red-carpet-ready dress. Our favorite is MAC’s lipstick in Neon Orange ($14.50), but take your time choosing the neon that works for you.

Nail Polish

When it comes to budding trends, nails are probably the simplest way to experiment with colors. You don’t have to buy a polish if you get a manicure and you can take it off any time it doesn’t suit you anymore, without feeling bare. Neon has been extremely popular on nails this season and we encourage you to test out the colors that strike your fancy. We’ve loved playing with American Apparel’s Neon Nail Lacquer ($15), which comes with three different fun neon colors.

Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Davidson joined theFashionSpot team as Managing Editor in November 2010. Prior to joining the tFS team, Jennifer produced fashion segments for television and was the co-founder of style and shopping site StyleBakery.com.